Anton lederer



Feb. 5, 1929. 1,700,942

A. LEDERER I AFPARAT'JS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON Filed Aug. 14, 1925 Z'z p1] 4 1 5 l 5 /1 l zo afg/'gg lo vl/,/l/'f ,v f l All l ,lf/I

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

' UNITED `STA/TES APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE F CARBON.;

n Application led August 14, 1925, Serial No. 50,282, and in Austria April 24, 1925.

This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of carbon; and more particularlyto apparatus for the product-ion of substantially pure carbon for use inthe manufacture of carbon filaments ofthe crystalline variety to be used in incandescent electric lamps. f

-This invention has for its object generally to provide an improved apparatus which is eiiicient and durable and is adapted for acontinuous high yield of substantially pure carbon. f

A more specific object isv to provide a reaction chamber adapted for the preparation of substantially pure carbon by the direct decomposition of relatively simple carbon com,- pounds; also to provide a method of operating the same at relatively high temperatures vwithout danger of deleterious reactions going on within the chamber that may contaminate the carbon. s u f.

The apparatus thus provided is adapted for the practice of the process of preparing carbon setforth in my application for Letters Patent ofthe United States, Serial No.

50,281, yfiled August 14,' 1925.

wOther objects of the invention will in part .be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of ele- -ments, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in they constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims. For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had tothe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying 4 drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing an arrangement of a reaction chamber arranged in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified arrangement of parts.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, 10 indicates a tube ofrefractory material, for example, of porcelain or quartz, which comprises the reaction chamber proper.` Disposed within the chamber is a carbon body whose presence is desired in order to induce the proper chemical reaction. This carbon body may, with convenience, also serve as the heating means.- The carbon body is accordingly axially disposed withincham- Parri-:NT` OFFICE.A

ANTON' LEDEBEB, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA.

ber 10 in the form of a resistance element 11 ply a stream of carbon bisulphide from any suitzble source, for example, the retort shown at 1 In order to avoid the danger that the carbon bisulphide, when passing through the glowing walls of the tube 10, may react therewith to form compounds which would deleteriously affect the-purity of the carbon desired to the produced', the interior walls of the reaction chamber are surfaced with a layer of inert material 20, for example, platinum or carbon.

By means of the resistance element here provided, the reaction chamber may be heated to a temperature above the combining temperature ofcarbon and sulphur,`thus causing the carbon bisulphide vapor, when itl enters the heated zon'c of the reaction chamber, to

decompose, the carbon finding its way to the heated surfaces where it is deposited while the sulphur vapors wander to the cooler surfaces. The carbon thus collects'upon the resistance element 11, while the sulphur tends to collect on the inner walls of the chamber 10 which are cooled to or slightly below the temperature at which sulphur is deposited, but not to that lat which condensation of carbon bisulphide vapors takes place.

In order substantially to avoid the de osition of sulphur on the inner walls o they chamber 10 and therebyl avoid possible contamination of the carbon being produced, it is preferable to expel the sulphur vapors.

This is readily accomplished by flushing the' reaction chamber with gas, preferably an inert gas. This isaccomplished in the apparatus indicated in the drawing by providing `r a passage 21, entering one end ofthe reacprovided with a passage 18 adapted to supconstructed of similar' materials.

tion chamber 10, leading from a source of argon gas; the gas thus introduced is permitted to exhaust from chamber 10 through the passage indicated at 22. A drop in gas pressure is thus provided across the reaction chamber which causes an outward flow of the sulphur vapors.

In operation the reaction chamber is first heated above the combining temperature of carbon and sulphur; the chamber being then in condition -to receive a steady supply of carbon bisulpliidc vapors. Soon after the introduction of the carbon bisulpliide vapors, the deposition of carbon will begin. This reaction will continue substantially as long as the necessary antecedent conditions are continued. The removal of sulphur vapors is accomplished substantially simultaneously by means of the flow of inert gas through the chamber.- By this arrangement, a det-rimental secondary reaction' and the consequent contamination of the carbon produced are avoided, while separation of the products of the decomposition of carbon bisulphide vapors are easily and quickly acczmiplished. The carbon thus produced may be readily removed in a substantially pure condition, the operation being capable of substantially indefinite repetition.

It is obvious that the drop in temperatur within the reaction chamber may be produced by heating certain parts of the interior in any suitable manner and simultaneously cooling down other partsof the reaction chamber to the desired lower limit of temperature.

In Fig. 2 a modified arrangement of apparatus is illustrated. Here the reaction chamber 25 is constructed in annular forni having inner and outer walls 2G and 27 respectively, constructed of refractory material and their end walls 28 arranged to close t-lie same and Within the reaction chamber is disposed an annular carbon resistance element 29 which serves as the resistance element for heating the chamber 25, this element being arranged as a secondary of a transformer to be heated inductively from the primary winding 80; both primai'yaiid secondary are disposed about the central leg of the three-legged transformer core 31. This core is shown as provided with a removable yoke 32 to provide access for the vassembly and disassembly of the reaction chamber. Tlie outer and'upper walls of the reaction chamber are surrounded b cooling envelope 33 constructed with cooling 'passages similar to that shown at 15 in Fig. 1. A passage-34 leading to the bottom of the" reaction chamber i's arranged to supply car- -bon bisulpliide vapors, while a passage 35,

shown at the other side of the drawings is similarly 'arranged to provide a-source of inert gas for iushing purposes. In each of the arrangements here shown the resistance element is preferably of carbon so as to serve prevented.

not only as the heating means but as a catalyzing agent as taught in my prior applicaclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: l

1. Apparatus for the production of substantially pure carbon by the direct decomposition of simple carboniferous vapors comprising, in combination, a refractory reaction chamber having lmeans for admitting carboniferous vapors, a body disposed kin said chamber adapted to have carbon deposited upon thesame, means for causingr said body to become heated above the combining temperature of the components of said vapor, means for cooling another portion of the chamber to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the non-carbon component of said vapor, and a lining of inert lmaterial disposed interiorly of the cooled portions of said chamber whereby deleterious reactions between said non-carbon com orient f` and said cooled portions of said cham er are for the production of sub- .stantiall pure carbon by the direct decomposition og simple carboniferous vapors comprising, in combination, a refractory reaction chamber having means for admitting carboniferous vapors, a carbon body disposed in said 2. Apparatus chamber and adapted to have carbon delos posited upon the-same, electric means ada ted c to` cause said body to become heated a ve the combining temperature of the components of said carboniferous vapors, means for cooling at least a portion of the walls of said` chamber to a temperature below the vaporization tem erature of the non-carbon component o said vapor, and a lining of inert material disposed over the inner portion of said walls which are cooled whereby deleterious reactions between said non-carbon component vented.

stantially pure carbon by the direct decomposition of simple carboniferous vapors coinand the 'chamber Wall are pre- 3.l Apparatus for the production of slibprising, in combination, a refractory reaction chamber having means for admitting carboniferoiis vaA "rs, a carbon resistor disposed in said cham er and adapted to have a. carbon precipitate deposited thereon, means for supplying electric current to said carbon resistor for heating the same to a temperature above-l the combining temperature of the com nents of said carboniferous vapor, a. cooling envelope disposed about an outer wall of saidl reaction chamber in heat-conducting relation thereto for cooling the same below the vaporization temperature of the non-carbon component'of said carboniferous vapor, and

means for flushing said chamber with an inert thereon, means forsupplying electric current to heat said carbon resistor to a temperature above the combining temperature ofcarbo'n and sulphur, and a cooling envelope dis osed exteriorly of'and in heat-conducting re ationwith the wall of said reaction chamber and adapted to cool at leastA a portion of the interior thereof to a temperature below-the vaporization temperature of sulphur whereby the sulphur is deposited thereon without contaminating the carbon deposit.

5. A paratus for the production of substantia 1y pure carbon by the direct decomposition of carbon disulphide vapors comprising, in combination, a refractor reaction chamber having means for admittmg carbon bis'ulphide vapors, a carbon resistor element disposed centrally in said chamber and adapted to receive a carbon deposit thereon, means for supplying electric current to said resistor yso to heat the same-above the combining temperature of carbon and sulphur, a cooling coil dis osed exteriorly of the wall of said reaction chamber and in heat-conducting relation therewith whereby at least a portion of the interior wall of said chamber is cooled to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of sulphur, and means for finishing said chamber with an inert gas.

ture.

' f ANTON, LEDERER.

In testimony whereof I ax my signa- 45 

